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[BBZ8800]

Yeah
He was a good player in a perfectly oiled machine.

When you remove him from that machine/system, he is a different player.

He could follow a path of Griezmann and Arda here at Barca, who sucked once when they were outside of Atletico's system.
Also, similar to Arda, Gundogan is exhausted after years of playing for City (in terms of running, stamina and energy in general) and it is quite possible that he will turn into Arda's mode in a few Months.
Ok, he probably won't fall as fast as Arda, but I guess that his body/energy is finished from years of playing at City.

You have probably heard that theory that you can have a player playing at Liverpool's or City's level of running only for a few seasons.
After that, a player is physically and mentally exhausted and coaches need to look for fresh, younger replacements.

So, we have bought:
1. an old car who is on a verge of dying in any moment
2. and who is not so spectacular player once when he is out of City's system
(Similarly to how young Busi looked like the best CDM ever, surrounded by Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Alves.
But once when Xavi-Iniesta-Alves were gone, Busi alone looked way more ordinary.
Well, Gundogan is that guy in City's team.)

 

[Horatio]

Yeah
He was a good player in a perfectly oiled machine.

When you remove him from that machine/system, he is a different player.

He could follow a path of Griezmann and Arda here at Barca, who sucked once when they were outside of Atletico's system.
Also, similar to Arda, Gundogan is exhausted after years of playing for City (in terms of running, stamina and energy in general) and it is quite possible that he will turn into Arda's mode in a few Months.
Ok, he probably won't fall as fast as Arda, but I guess that his body/energy is finished from years of playing at City.

You have probably heard that theory that you can have a player playing at Liverpool's or City's level of running only for a few seasons.
After that, a player is physically and mentally exhausted and coaches need to look for fresh, younger replacements.

So, we have bought:
1. an old car who is on a verge of dying in any moment
2. and who is not so spectacular player once when he is out of City's system
(Similarly to how young Busi looked like the best CDM ever, surrounded by Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Alves.
But once when Xavi-Iniesta-Alves were gone, Busi alone looked way more ordinary.
Well, Gundogan is that guy in City's team.)

A bit soon bro. You also negated the fact that he took a step down. From EPL to la liga. He should still produce magic here.

 

[serghei]

Of course he is not gonna be nearly as good as he was with City. That's a given.

 

[JamDav1982]

Xavi needs to work out how to use him.

Yesterday he like many others looked lost.

About only ones who looked comfortable were FDJ, Balde and on the ball Kounde.

The rest looked disjointed and second guessing what their role is.

Still maintain Pedri needs to be deeper and given more freedom to get the ball not some second striker as a positional cone waitng for others.

Pedri should be deeper with FDJ and Gundogan making runs up to a more mobile striker... but Barca have Lewa who limits it all and made worse when no pace either side of him.

 

[BBZ8800]

A bit soon bro. You also negated the fact that he took a step down. From EPL to la liga. He should still produce magic here.

I told the same for Lewa as soon as he came here.

A lot of people laughed, as always.
"Lewa still has 3-4 top seasons in his legs, lol".

Guy was dead after 4 Months.
And Gundo's body is even more used and exhausted than Lewa's since he played at EPL compared to "vacation Bundesliga".

He won't be absolutely horrible, but don't expect wonders.
And don't expect the team to be any better, midfield wise, than the last season.

He is old, he doesn't have a chemistry with his new teammates.
And by the time when he'll develop some chemistry, his stamina and physique will be on a huge decline, getting weaker each new passing month.

For comparison, the last few players whom we signed aged 31-32-33:
Lewa 33: dead after 4 Months
Alonso 31: bad, old and slow since the day 1 at Barca
Auba 32: was good fo 6 Months, but declined after Barca
Aguero 33: retired after 2-3 matches
Luuk 31: okish with headers, but overall, people weren't too happy and we wanted something better
Alves 38: old and slow
Pjanic 30: Arda vol 2
Boateng 31: barely played
Arda 28: finished at 28

With players, you either buy:
1. young players and wait until they develop
2. players in their prime who are still young (aged 23-28)
3. players looking for their last contract (aged 29-33)

City, Liverpool, Man Utd and rich teams are usually buying players in their prime.
While we, since we are broke, we either buy unproven youngsters or players who are nearing their retirement.

For a comparison, remember when Barca was rich and strong, during Pep.
We were buying Alves, Masche, Zlatan, Villa, Alexis.

We can't attract those type of players anymore.

 

[serghei]

I told the same for Lewa as soon as he came here.

A lot of people laughed, as always.
"Lewa still has 3-4 top seasons in his legs, lol".

Guy was dead after 4 Months.
And Gundo's body is even more used and exhausted than Lewa's since he played at EPL compared to "vacation Bundesliga".

He won't be absolutely horrible, but don't expect wonders.
And don't expect the team to be any better, midfield wise, than the last season.

He is old, he doesn't have a chemistry with his new teammates.
And by the time when he'll develop some chemistry, his stamina and physique will be on a huge decline, getting weaker each new passing month.

For comparison, the last few players whom we signed aged 31-32-33:
Lewa 33: dead after 4 Months
Alonso 31: bad, old and slow since the day 1 at Barca
Auba 32: was good fo 6 Months, but declined after Barca
Aguero 33: retired after 2-3 matches
Luuk 31: okish with headers, but overall, people weren't too happy and we wanted something better
Alves 38: old and slow
Pjanic 30: Arda vol 2
Boateng 31: barely played
Arda 28: finished at 28

With players, you either buy:
1. young players and wait until they develop
2. players in their prime who are still young (aged 23-28)
3. players looking for their last contract (aged 29-33)

City, Liverpool, Man Utd and rich teams are usually buying players in their prime.
While we, since we are broke, we either buy unproven youngsters or players who are nearing their retirement.

For a comparison, remember when Barca was rich and strong, during Pep.
We were buying Alves, Masche, Zlatan, Villa, Alexis.

We can't attract those type of players anymore.

All true sadly.

 

[Temptation]

Gundogan has actually been fairly uninspiring for City most of the time. He just had a tendency to score in the business end of the season a fair bit.


As a player his attributes are fairly well rounded and standard but none of his attributes stand out. Not a world class passer, dribbler or shooter. He's a well rounded disciplined player who is good technically.


He's never gonna be the star man. He isn't that guy. He's not close to KDB.


I have had my disagreements with Malvolio but he's correct here.

 

[Temptation]

For the casuals, I'll explain it in FIFA terms.


He's a very very good player but the level below World Class.


He'd be an 85/86 ovr kinda player rather than a world class 89/90 in FIFA.


I do rate him.

 

[Horatio]

For the casuals, I'll explain it in FIFA terms.


He's a very very good player but the level below World Class.


He'd be an 85/86 ovr kinda player rather than a world class 89/90 in FIFA.


I do rate him.

I do keep in consideration La Liga is a slower league. That's why I think he will be great for us in la liga at least. As long as his skill on balls stays fairly decent....unlike someone else.

 

[BJJ]

He is a well rounded player who produces when required. He is good at pretty much everything but not outstanding in one area particularly except maybe his clutch factor. That's still better than Gavi and Pedri who have really done nothing special to date. They can be outstanding in one match and disappear in four others.
De Jong is currently our best mid by a mile and that clown Xavi wanted to sell him. Tells you how bad Xavi is and how he has no idea how to set up a team
Xavis constant tantrums are just him trying to deflect from his shortcomings.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

He is a well rounded player who produces when required. He is good at pretty much everything but not outstanding in one area particularly except maybe his clutch factor. That's still better than Gavi and Pedri who have really done nothing special to date. They can be outstanding in one match and disappear in four others.
De Jong is currently our best mid by a mile and that clown Xavi wanted to sell him. Tells you how bad Xavi is and how he has no idea how to set up a team
Xavis constant tantrums are just him trying to deflect from his shortcomings.

Barcaforum's very own pundit has spoken.

Everybody read..

And then laugh.

 

[Temptation]

He is a well rounded player who produces when required. He is good at pretty much everything but not outstanding in one area particularly except maybe his clutch factor. That's still better than Gavi and Pedri who have really done nothing special to date. They can be outstanding in one match and disappear in four others.
De Jong is currently our best mid by a mile and that clown Xavi wanted to sell him. Tells you how bad Xavi is and how he has no idea how to set up a team
Xavis constant tantrums are just him trying to deflect from his shortcomings.

You know ball unlike most on here.


Summed it up very well as one would expect from a poster of your quality. Kudos.

 

[Don Juan Laporta Estruch]

Unregister.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Eric, Ferran, Aguero, Gundogan...


If this signing flops too, we might need to stop signing any more players that City let go of.

 

[MTL_Barca]

Eric, Ferran, Aguero, Gundogan...


If this signing flops too, we might need to stop signing any more players that City let go of.

I think Gundo is top class, always was imo just injuries holding him back. Of course age is a factor too in this case.

That being said though it's always risky to buy players from teams with genius managers. No suprise players from Klopp, Pep, Simeone often look a bit underwhelming elsewhere. These guys all perfected their system and know how to utilize their players best in it. Not easy to replicate.